Writing things down is an effective way to process emotions and understand where you might be getting stuck. I don’t care if you are a terrible writer, if your handwriting is illegible and your grammar is questionable. If you find yourself writing below your standards, lower your standards. No one else ever needs to read what you write. Set a timer for five, ten, twenty minutes — whatever feels reasonable, and free write with zero judgment.

Writing prompts:

• What is your relationship to alcohol today? What would you like to be in the future?

• What early messages did you get about when and how to drink? What examples of responsible or irresponsible drinking did you see around you?

• How do you feel when you drink? What are the good feelings and the not-so-good feelings? How do you feel after?

• What comes up for you if you consider taking a break from alcohol? If you want to stop drinking for a period of time, how long would that be? What would you hope to learn from that time?

This writing prompt originally appeared with the article entitled Sobriety as Self-care.

About this Photo
This is a photo of Lisa sitting on a dock at Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia. There’s nothing in the photo particularly related to sobriety, but something about the way Lisa is sitting and her surroundings feel contemplative, which is a good vibe for this writing prompt.